Human powered vehicle safety lighting structures

ABSTRACT

A plurality of lighting structures is provided for enhancing the visibility of a human powered vehicle at night. The visibility enhanced human powered vehicle has a frame with attached wheels having tires including sidewalls. The safety lighting structures comprise at least one photo-luminescent section and at least one reflective section being located on at least one of the wheels. A light source is attachable to the human powered vehicle to direct light against the photo-luminescent sections.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Application Serial No. 60/459,395, filed on Apr. 1, 2003,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to human powered vehicle safety,and in particular to lighting structures for providing enhancedvisibility of a human powered vehicle at night. The lighting structuresmay be arranged on a human powered vehicle for a decorative effect.

(2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0003] Human powered vehicles, such as bicycles, scooters andwheelchairs, are generally comprised of a frame for supporting wheelsand a rider, and are generally powered by movements of the rider's armsor legs. As a result of being human powered, such vehicles have beenunable to match the nighttime visibility of motor vehicles havingpowerfully lit safety lighting structures such as high intensityheadlamps and taillights. Instead, the prior art has generally limitedsafety lighting structures for human powered vehicles to minimal areareflectors and low wattage flashlight type headlamps. Due to the smallamount of reflective area at various approach angles, coupled with lowlight intensity lamps, the prior art lighting structures offer only amodicum of visibility in situations in which their luminosity isoverwhelmed by high intensity motor vehicle headlamps. Thus, thereremains a need for human powered lighting structures that are highlyvisible, offering a large safety factor in situations of darknesscombined with overwhelming oncoming motor vehicle headlamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention addresses these needs by providing uniquelighting structures for human powered vehicles such as bicycles,scooters and wheelchairs. The unique lighting structures greatlyincrease the luminous areas that are visible to others that approach orare in the path of a human powered vehicle equipped with the lightingstructures of the present invention.

[0005] Generally, the preferred lighting structures of the presentinvention are comprised of areas or sections formed of photo-luminescentand reflective materials. In the preferred embodiment, thephoto-luminescent sections of the lighting structures are placed on thesides of a human powered vehicle's wheels. A light source is mounted onthe frame of the human powered vehicle to direct light against thephoto-luminescent sections as the wheels rotate. Light shining on thephoto-luminescent sections causes the photo-luminescent material makingup the sections to glow for a short period of time. As a result, acontinuous illumination is provided around the wheel as the wheelrotates.

[0006] Since the shining of an intense light, e.g., automobileheadlights, onto the human powered vehicle may prevent thephoto-luminescent glow from being seen, the reflective sections arespaced around the wheel to form a relatively large and highly noticeablelight reflective pattern. The combination of the photo-luminescentsections and the reflective sections aids in warning others of thepresence of the human powered vehicle, whether or not an external lightis being shined on the human powered vehicle.

[0007] Bicycles and wheelchairs are examples of human powered vehiclesthat typically have wheels made up of rims, spokes and tires. In thepreferred embodiment, a tire belonging to a wheel such as a bicyclewheel is partially or fully covered with a photo-luminescent material.The covering material can be, but is not limited to, photo-luminescentstickers, paints, injection molded rubber, plastics and resins. A goodcandidate for the photo-luminescent material is a phosphorescentcompound consisting of Zinc Sulfide mixed in with an epoxy binder, butmay also consist of other glowing pigments suspended in epoxy, rubber orplastic surfaces. Furthermore, to prevent the photo-luminescent materialfrom wearing off over time, the material can be molded or vulcanizedinto a bicycle's tires. Moreover, the photo-luminescent material is notlimited to the tires. The spokes, wheel covers and frame can alsoinclude photo-luminescent sections.

[0008] Reflective materials are provided to supplement the glow of thephoto-luminescent materials in instances where bright lightingconditions may drown out its effectiveness, e.g., in the direct path ofvery bright car headlights. In the preferred embodiment, the reflectivematerial comprises reflective particles that are molded or vulcanizedinto the rubber of the tires of the human powered vehicle. Moreover, aplurality of reflective stickers can be added to the tires, wheels orframe of the human powered vehicle to increase its overall visibility.Each of the plurality of reflective stickers has a strong adhesivebacking that adheres readily to rubber and metal and is weatherresistant as well as waterproof.

[0009] Natural or man-made light sources may be used to chargephoto-luminescent materials. However, due to the short glow life ofthese materials, it is preferred that a man-made light source isattached to the bicycle to constantly recharge the photo-luminescentmaterial while the bicycle is in motion. The light source can beincandescent or fluorescent. An array of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) isthe preferred light source. Also, it is preferred that the emitted lightspectrum includes as much of the UV light band as feasible.

[0010] The light source is attached to a human powered vehicle such thata beam of light is directed onto the photo-luminescent materials.Particularly good locations on a bicycle for the light source are theforks or frame of the bicycle. Another position for these lights may bein the fender or on the sides of the bicycle's braking system. For humanpowered vehicles in general, the light source may be mounted by using astrap and bracket system that is built into an LED housing, or it may bebolted, glued, integrated into the vehicle's frame, or otherwise beaffixed to the vehicle in any other manner. The light source is poweredeither by chemical batteries or by an electrical generator driven by themotion of the human powered vehicle.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, an electroluminescentwire can be positioned within the interior of a transparent tire orwithin a transparent section of a human powered vehicle's frame.Alternately, the electroluminescent wire within a transparent tube couldbe attached to the outside of the tire, rim or frame of the humanpowered vehicle.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, a photo-luminescent coating can beapplied to the inside surface of a clear rubber tire. The tire can befilled with a low-grade radioactive gas such as tritium gas. The tritiumgas will react with the photo-luminescent coating to produce a strongphosphorescent glow for several years. Reflective sections can be addedto the outside of the tire to provide reflection of light coming fromexternal resources. These and other aspects of the present inventionwill become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of thefollowing detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side view of a bicycle wheel having lightingstructures made up of intermittent phosphorescent sections andreflective sections.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side view of a bicycle wheel that includes anelectroluminescent wire.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a side view of a bicycle having a front wheel withelectroluminescent wires built into a mag style rim and a rear wheelhaving reflective stickers and a phosphorescent spoke cover.

[0016]FIG. 4 is a side view of a bicycle wheel having lightingstructures made up of photo-luminescent and reflective materials moldedinto the wheel's tire.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In the following description, terms such as horizontal, upright,vertical, above, below, beneath and the like, are used solely for thepurpose of clarity in illustrating the invention, and should not betaken as words of limitation. The drawings are for the purpose ofillustrating the invention and are not intended to be to scale.

[0018]FIG. 1 depicts a bicycle wheel, generally 10 attached to a fork12. Bicycle wheel 10 consists of a spoked rim 14 with an attached tire16. A phosphorescent section 18 is located on at least one tire sidewall19. Reflective stickers 20 are spaced around wheel 10 and are preferablyset within phosphorescent section 18. A lamp 22, attached to fork 12directs artificial light onto phosphorescent section 18. The light fromlamp 22 sets phosphorescent section 18 aglow as wheel 10 rotates.Section 18 will appear as a bright glowing ring providing wheel 10rotates fast enough. Nevertheless, the glow may not be bright enough toovercome the glare of bright car headlights. Therefore, reflectivestickers 20 are provided to make wheel 10 visible in glaring lightconditions.

[0019]FIG. 2 depicts a bicycle wheel, generally 24 attached to a fork26. Bicycle wheel 24 consists of a spoked rim 28 and an attached tire30. Rim 28 has an inner wall 32 and an upper edge 34. Anelectroluminescent wire 36 is attached around rim upper edge 34.Electroluminescent wire 36 is a type of light emitting wire consistingof a first conductor coated in an electro-reactive substance that iswrapped along its length by a second smaller conductor. A clear plastictube 37 protects electroluminescent wire 36 from the elements. U.S. Pat.No. 5,869,930 discloses an example of an electroluminescent wiresuitable for use with the present invention. An electrical power source38 energizes electroluminescent wire 36. Preferably, power source 38sources electrical power from batteries (not shown) and an AC invertercircuit (not shown). FIG. 2 also shows power source 38 attached to riminner wall 32. A switch 40 is provided to control the flow of electricalcurrent to electroluminescent wire 36.

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a bicycle, generally 42 consisting of a frame 44including an attached front wheel 46 and an attached rear wheel 48.Front wheel 46 has a MAG type rim 50, instead of an ordinary spoked rim.Rim 50 includes a phosphorescent spoke cover 54. Reflective stickers 56are adhered to rear wheel 48. A light source 58 is attached to frame 44and is positioned so that light is directed onto phosphorescent spokecover 54.

[0021]FIG. 4 depicts a bicycle wheel, generally 60 attached to a fork62. Bicycle wheel 60 consists of a spoked rim 64 with an attached tire66. A reflective section 68 and a phosphorescent section 70 are includedon at least one sidewall of tire 66. A light source housing 72 directsthe light from an array of light emitting diodes 74 onto phosphorescentsection 70.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plurality of safety lighting structures for ahuman powered vehicle having a frame with attached wheels having tiresincluding sidewalls, said safety lighting structures comprising: a) atleast one photo-luminescent section and at least one reflective sectionbeing located on at least one of said wheels; and b) a light sourcebeing attachable to said human powered vehicle to direct light againstsaid photo-luminescent sections.
 2. The safety lighting structures ofclaim 1, wherein said at least one photo-luminescent section is locatedon at least one of said tire sidewalls.
 3. The safety lightingstructures of claim 1, wherein said at least one reflective section islocated on at least one of said tire sidewalls.
 4. The safety lightingstructures of claim 2, wherein said light source is mounted to saidhuman powered vehicle frame to direct light against said at least onephoto-luminescent section as said at least one wheel rotates.
 5. Thesafety lighting structures of claim 1, wherein said at least one wheelis at least partially covered with a photo-luminescent material selectedfrom the group consisting of photo-luminescent stickers, paints,injection molded rubber, plastics and resins and combinations thereof.6. The safety lighting structures of claim 1, wherein saidphoto-luminescent material is a phosphorescent compound comprising ZincSulfide mixed with an epoxy binder.
 7. The safety lighting structures ofclaim 1, wherein said photo-luminescent material is molded into saidbicycle tires.
 8. The safety lighting structures of claim 1, whereinsaid reflective sections are reflective stickers.
 9. The safety lightingstructures of claim 1, wherein said light source is selected from thegroup consisting of at least one incandescent lamp, at least onefluorescent lamp and at least one light emitting diode and combinationsthereof.
 10. The safety lighting structures of claim 1, wherein thelight emitted by said light source is substantially within the UV bandof the electromagnetic spectrum.
 11. The safety lighting structures ofclaim 1, wherein said human powered vehicle is a bicycle having a frontfork on which said light source is attached to direct light against saidphoto-luminescent sections.
 12. A human powered vehicle tire havingsafety lighting structures, said tire comprising: a) sidewalls; b) atleast one photo-luminescent section being located on said sidewalls; andc) at least one reflective section being located on said sidewalls. 13.The human powered vehicle tire of claim 12, wherein said tire isattached to a wheel attached to the frame of a human powered vehicle,and wherein a light source is attached to said human powered vehicleframe to direct light against said tire at least one photo-luminescentsection.
 14. The human powered vehicle tire of claim 12, wherein said atleast one photo-luminescent section and said at least one reflectivesection are molded into said tire sidewalls.
 15. The human poweredvehicle tire of claim 12, wherein said a least one photo-luminescentsection and said at least one reflective section are located on saidtire sidewalls and form adjacent rings that follow the circumference ofsaid tire.
 16. The human powered vehicle tire of claim 12, wherein saidat least one reflective section is made of light reflective particlesthat are vulcanized into said tire.
 17. The human powered vehicle tireof claim 12, wherein said at least one photo-luminescent section is madeof phosphorescent glow pigmented particles.
 18. A safety lightingstructure for a bicycle wheel having a rim, said safety lightingstructure comprising: a) an electroluminescent wire attached around saidwheel rim, said electroluminescent wire comprising a first electricalconductor coated with an electro-reactive substance that is wrappedalong its length by a second smaller conductor; and b) an electricalpower source for energizing said electroluminescent wire.
 19. The safetylighting structure of claim 18, wherein a clear plastic tube protectssaid electroluminescent wire from the outdoors environment.
 20. Alighting structure for a human powered vehicle comprising a wheel havinga translucent tire with an inside coated with a photo-luminescentmaterial, said tire being inflated with a low-grade radioactive gas thatreacts with said photo-luminescent material to cause it to glow.